Excerpts from distinctive poems illustrate the author's appreciation of the metrical and formal aspects of poetry
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
65 of 66 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Fussell's foreword says that his book is for aspiring readers, not aspiring writers. But if you are an aspiring poet, I think Fussell has something to offer that is absent in most "handbooks".
One of the most important things Fussell addresses is how the form of a poem affects the meaning and impression of the total poem. For example, he notes how many poetic forms are inevitably coloured by their initial or most famous use. He says regarding Tennyson's In Memoriam stanza-form, that it "is now so closely associated with the sturdy, serviceable elegaic atmosphere of In Memoriam itself that...its uses now seem limited to occasions which either resemble or mock the original" (Ch 8 The English Stanzas).
Another chapter that poets will find helpful is Metrical Variations, in which Fussell examines how poets substitute variant feet to create particular effects. Or if your interest is in free verse, he devotes a chapter to examining the characteristics of successful free verse, including how line breaks create effects.
This is not a substitute for a general handbook of poetry, and assumes a minimal knowledge of poetic technique, meter, &c. But if you are serious about reading or writing poetry, I don't think you can afford to miss this book.
One of the most important things Fussell addresses is how the form of a poem affects the meaning and impression of the total poem. For example, he notes how many poetic forms are inevitably coloured by their initial or most famous use. He says regarding Tennyson's In Memoriam stanza-form, that it "is now so closely associated with the sturdy, serviceable elegaic atmosphere of In Memoriam itself that...its uses now seem limited to occasions which either resemble or mock the original" (Ch 8 The English Stanzas).
Another chapter that poets will find helpful is Metrical Variations, in which Fussell examines how poets substitute variant feet to create particular effects. Or if your interest is in free verse, he devotes a chapter to examining the characteristics of successful free verse, including how line breaks create effects.
This is not a substitute for a general handbook of poetry, and assumes a minimal knowledge of poetic technique, meter, &c. But if you are serious about reading or writing poetry, I don't think you can afford to miss this book.
63 of 69 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
When I was 21 and in my first year of graduate school, Paul Fussell's "Poetic Meter and Poetic Form" was one of the first text books assigned to me. When I bought the book and saw how slim it was, I snickered, "Grad school's gonna be a walk in the park!"
Yeah, RIGHT!
This densely packed tome is not for the uninitiated and definitely not absorbed in just one reading. On and off, over the last 20 years, I have come back to this book to refresh my memory and, usually, to astonish myself. The book's real strength, besides Professor Fussell's obvious command of his subject, and his ability to convey that command, is in the sprinkling of dozens of anecdotes by and about poets about other poets and poetry. Even at this late date in my life, I can't pretend to understand the entire book but what I do understand I admire and respect. "Poetic Meter and Poetic Form" is not recommended to anyone studying poetry; it is urgently required.
Yeah, RIGHT!
This densely packed tome is not for the uninitiated and definitely not absorbed in just one reading. On and off, over the last 20 years, I have come back to this book to refresh my memory and, usually, to astonish myself. The book's real strength, besides Professor Fussell's obvious command of his subject, and his ability to convey that command, is in the sprinkling of dozens of anecdotes by and about poets about other poets and poetry. Even at this late date in my life, I can't pretend to understand the entire book but what I do understand I admire and respect. "Poetic Meter and Poetic Form" is not recommended to anyone studying poetry; it is urgently required.
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is a classic of prosodic exposition. (And understand, when I call a book a classic, I am not just lapsing into a cliche; it really IS a classic.) Fussell shows us the relations between form and content, between rhyme and rhythm on the one hand and the function of these formal devices to illuminate meaning on the other. The book also devotes a chapter to empirical observations on the properties of free verse, and it includes a concise bibliography of other works on prosody. Highly recommended.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Old-time Favourite of Poetry Criticism, Not much More Though
This is really a fantastic book for those of us who are interested in the art form and all that entails. Read more
Published 7 months ago by withallduerespect
4.0 out of 5 stars
Definitive Book on Poetic Form
The only thing that may stop you from buying this book is the price. It's a lot for a slim paperback, and there are other options available that will tell you about formal poetic... Read more
Published 12 months ago by G. Mesick
5.0 out of 5 stars
Changes the way you read and write
A handful of books I've read have imparted lessons that stuck with me for life. This is one of them. As others have said, this is a book to be studied rather than read. Read more
Published 22 months ago by jbd
4.0 out of 5 stars
Poetic Meter & Poetic Form by: Fussell
I used this book for my Literary Analysis class and it helps explain all different kinds of poetic forms. Read more
Published on May 6, 2011 by Joe
5.0 out of 5 stars
For a greater appreciation of classic poems...
Fussell's command of formal verse is extensive and even if you're more inclined to free verse I highly recommend his book because it provides essential tools for becoming a more... Read more
Published on November 30, 2008 by J. Lobb
5.0 out of 5 stars
Masterful
This book is wonderful. Fussell in opinionated and unafraid to display his own taste, but I find that a good thing (uncommon in academic writing in my experience). Read more
Published on September 4, 2007 by An Amazonian
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good start
Fussell's work is fantastic...the only problems are his high handed attitude towards free verse and a general snarkiness throughout the text. But overall, a good resource.
Published on March 12, 2007 by Brian
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good
Expensive isn't it! But it's the most excellent book on writing poetry and poetic form I've read. Fussell has a masterful understanding of the material and handles it with great... Read more
Published on March 29, 2002 by Robert C. L. Crawford
4.0 out of 5 stars
Guiding analysis
A good introduction to the mechanics, usefulness, and limitations of scansion and rhyme forms. His examples are well-chosen and illuminating. Read more
Published on August 7, 2001
5.0 out of 5 stars
the best book on poetry
Fussell describes how forms of poetry define and focus the poem. He does this really well.
If I knew a really effective superlative, I'd use it here. Nothing comes to mind. Read more
Published on December 4, 2000 by B. M Purcell
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 100
books:
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61
books
cite this book:
See all 61 books citing this book
- Paradise Lost (Penguin Classics) by John Milton on 5 pages
- Song of Myself (Dover Thrift Editions) by Walt Whitman on 5 pages
- "To His Coy Mistress" and Other Poems (Dover Thrift Editions) by Andrew Marvell on 4 pages
- Sailing to Byzantium (Phoenix 60p paperbacks) by W B Yeats on 4 pages
- An Essay on Criticism by Alexander Pope on page 35, page 45, and page 47
See all 100 books this book cites
- All The Funs In How You Say A Thing: An Explanation Of Meter & Versification by Timothy Steele on 4 pages
- Writing Metrical Poetry: Contemporary Lessons for Mastering Traditional Forms by William Baer on page 40, page 211, and Back Matter
- Strange Likeness: The Use of Old English in Twentieth-Century Poetry by Chris Jones on page 198, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Purcell Studies (Cambridge Composer Studies) by Curtis Price on page 214, and page 237
- Studying Poetry by Stephen Matterson on page 21, and Back Matter
See all 61 books citing this book
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